Whilst acknowledging its roots in the peace movement and, specifically, in the radical pacifist end of the movement it aims to be a broadbased, nonsectarian shop. Housmans bookshop stock the largest range of radical newsletters, newspapers and magazines of any shop in britain. A record 49 bookshops from nine regions are competing to be named the countrys best independent retailer for books. There were as many as 3,000 coffee houses here in london which played host to caffeinefuelled debate. Police are investigating after burglars broke into london s housmans bookshop and stole the stores cash drawer and charity box on wednesday night 20th august. If all else fails, have a browse in housmans, londons radical bookshop, which has a large series of books on gender politics and is an active and thriving notforprofit bookshop.
Islingtons lefty bookshop housmans is pride of london. In addition to serving customers and helping with a wide range of daytoday shop activities, we also invite the successful candidate to act as a coordinator for our team of volunteers. Browse categories below or click here to browse all books. Housmans has been selling books on politics since 1945. Housmans bookshop are a notforprofit bookshop, specialising in books, zines, and periodicals of radical interest and progressive. Oct 24, 2017 housmans bookshop, 5 caledonian road, kings cross, london n1 9dy. On the fifth floor is the foyles cafe, serving quality food and coffee at slightly steep prices. Housmans has temporarily suspended its online shop in solidarity with. Housmans bookshop are a notforprofit bookshop, specialising in books, zines, and periodicals of radical interest and progressive politics. Housmans bookshop nearst find and buy products from real. Housmans radical booksellers, 5 caledonian road, london 2020. One chapter missing from an otherwise detailed book was on how to close a bookshop.
On the 14th november 2009 housmans celebrate their 50th anniversary. Jun 14, 2019 they also operate a feminist bookshop and often pop up at stalls across the city. Send me recommendations, lets share them with the world. Independent bookshop of the year london the bookseller. Founded following the end of world war ii, housmans mission as a bookshop is to promote ideas of peace. London stories at housmans bookshop talks time out london. Bookseller parttime, 3 daysweek housmans bookshop is seeking to hire a parttime bookseller for three days per week. London bookshop crawl 2020 housmans will be participating in the 5th annual london bookshop crawl, which will be held over three days.
Although the peace movement owns the property, so housmans has the cushion of an understanding landlord, its faced some bumpy times. Six years later, i wrote an article in tribune, at the time a weekly labour movement newspaper, expressing concern about the number of bookshop closures, caused by political. Housmans is one of londons last radical bookshops the. At housmans, in kings cross, london one of the longestrunning. Just round the corner from kings cross station, technically on the camden and islington border but in reality in the nether space that exists around large stations, lies housmans bookshop. With over 200,000 books, the cafe provides a comfortable retreat. Books on a broad range of subjects from fiction and poetry to. Open since 1945, it has the feel of a bookshop that knows what it is talking about and with regular events it keeps itself up to date. The space is kitted out with sleek wooden furniture and stylish hanging lightbulbs. Jun 10, 2016 housmans bookshop has been in kings cross since 1945 and is one of londons last radical bookshops. If all else fails, have a browse in housmans, london s radical bookshop, which has a large series of books on gender politics and is an active and thriving notforprofit bookshop. Continuing our series of interviews with independent booksellers, in celebration of independent booksellers week, today we interview nik gorecki from housmans bookshop. Every major home sale you need to know for memorial day weekend.
Readings by stewart home, maxi kim and bridget penney to launch the first of book works semina publications of experimental prose fiction. Part of the bookshop s london s burning series on radical london. Housmans is at the bottom end of caledonian road where it meets with pentonville road. From end of day on friday 24 april, we will no longer be be able to take orders via email, until further notice. Housmans is a notforprofit bookshop set up in the wake of world war two to promote peace and pacifist literature and ideas. Apr 12, 2010 at housmans, in kings cross, london one of the longestrunning radical bookshops in the country, launched by a group of pacifists wiry comanager malcolm hopkins, dressed head to toe in. Founded following the end of world war ii, housmans mission as a bookshop. Your can choose to collect your order from us instore at housmans or have your purchases delivered to. The day many area book shops, music stores reopening. This vast bookshop has four floors crammed with every kind of book imaginable.
Housmans books newsletter february 2020 the new dark age. The shop was named in honour of the originator of its concept. Freedom bookshop is londons oldest anarchist bookshop. Londons most fabulous literary bookshops londonist. Heres our list of the best stores to read, buy or smell the oldest books in london. Housmans is now in contention for the overall independent bookshop of the year award, which will be announced at the british book industry awards on 9th may at a ceremony in london.
The best feminist bookshops in london 2019 british vogue. It originally opened on 26 october 1945, but its roots, go back to the great upsurge of the british pacifist movement in the 1930s, marked particularly by the founding of the peace pledge. Sep 25, 2014 londons 10 best zine and mini comic shops. Bookshop of the month housmans bookshop, london just a stones throw away from london s kings cross station is the radical housmans bookshop, our bookshop of the month for july. Aug 27, 2019 police are investigating after burglars broke into london s housmans bookshop and stole the stores cash drawer and charity box on wednesday night 20th august. The hive network allows independent bookshops like housmans to sell a full range of books, dvds, cds, ebooks and stationery online. It is a notforprofit and nonsectarian bookshop, specialising in books, zines, and. Although the peace movement owns the property, so housmans has the cushion of an understanding landlord, its. Jun 23, 2015 housmans bookshop is based at kings cross in london, and is one of the citys last remaining radical bookshops, as well as having been one of the first. Housmans, a radical bookseller culture 104 comments just round the corner from kings cross station, technically on the camden and islington border but in reality in the nether space that exists around large stations, lies housmans bookshop. Do you know of any bookshops in london that have a great feminist section. Volunteer and phd student maeve nolan uncovers the tale of this iconic london resource. Jul 01, 2019 bookshop of the month housmans bookshop, london just a stones throw away from londons kings cross station is the radical housmans bookshop, our bookshop of the month for july. Laurence enjoyed some success as an illustrator, poet, playwright and author and was a founder member of the mens league for womens suffrage and the peace pledge union.
Police investigate after housmans bookshop burgled the. In a 2,000squarefoot space with over 55,000 titles squeezed on shelves, displayed on tables or even towered up on the floor skoob. If you have any problems finding us, give us a call. Housmans bookshop, 5 caledonian road, london booksellers.
Notforprofit indie bookshop based in kings cross, london since 1959. Women and conscientious objection at housmans bookshop. Bookmarks bookshop, 1 bloomsbury street, bloomsbury, london wc1b 3qe. Kings cross st pancras phone 02078374473 web site housmans booksellers london supports a vibrant protest communitydont forget this is where karl marx fashioned his views that changed the worldand since 1945, the citys preeminent store for radical books has been housmans. This notforprofit describes itself as londons premier radical bookshop, and its a must visit for those with an interest in progressive politics. Housmans bookshop is based at kings cross in london, and is one of the. He suggested that the space should be a permanent space to promote ideas of peace, pacifism and progressive ideas after the second world war was over. As well as stocking the uks largest range of books, this flagship store has a cafe, auditorium and gallery, and hosts literary and music events. Housmans in london is a longrunning radical bookshop in the kings cross area.
But what is the story behind londons radical bookshops. We are an independent bookshop, based in kings cross, london since 1959. Were thrilled to find ourselves on the london shortlist for indie bookshop of the year at. Housmans radical bookshop we are a notforprofit bookshop, specialising in books, zines, and periodicals of radical interest and progressive politics. Housmans bookshop has been in kings cross since 1945 and is one of londons last radical bookshops.
From bloomsbury to brixton, london is home to a wealth of secondhand bookshops offering big titles at bargain prices. Still in existence as far as we know, but not recently checked address. This means our online shop is also closed for the moment, and all items are showing. Dec 18, 2016 these included, for example, firebomb attacks in 1973 and 1977 on two black bookshops in london, both called unity bookshop, and in 1994 an attack by fifty fascists on mushroom in nottingham. Housmans radical booksellers, london, united kingdom. By then laurence housman was 80 years old and he did not play an active role in running the store, but it had been his idea and it was named in his honour. All the shops and distributors on the cover would come to that point, save for housmans and bookmarks of london and news from nowhere in liverpool, the great survivors. The shop in caledonian road, kings cross had hosted an event.
Coffee shops sprang up all over europes major cities and were key hubs for radical thinkers. The flagship foyles store in soho sprawls across six floors and is a true hub for books in london. Fast forward to the era from the 1940s to late 70s and there was a passion for politics with a belief that one really could create a change within. The return of radical bookshops books the guardian. Mar 10, 2016 housmans bookshop in caledonian road, which celebrated its 70th anniversary last year, beat five other shortlisted shops across the capital to take the industry gong. Uk quarantine would hurt londons top hotels most, warns. Housmans bookshopon the caledonian road has won an award for best independent bookshop. At housmans, in kings cross, london one of the longestrunning radical bookshops in the country, launched by a group of pacifists wiry comanager malcolm hopkins, dressed head to toe in. With the support and assistance of other leading pacifists, he opened the original housmans bookshop with an apostrophe in those. Housmans is londons oldest radical bookshop and the goto place for radical books, zines, periodicals and newspapers. Housmans bookshop laurence housman was a younger brother of the poet ae housman. Housmans bookshop 5 caledonian road kings cross london, n1 9dx tel no.
We are a notforprofit bookshop, specialising in books, zines, and periodicals of radical interest and progressive politics. Peace news, an international antimilitarist publication, helped housmans move into its current location near the kings cross underground station in central london. Housmans is one of london s oldest radical, independent bookshops. Cycling and transport maps including local bus stops routes can be viewed by clicking icons on the right hand side of above page. Oct 29, 2008 bookmarks is now the only bookshop in central london that specialises in socialist material, and is one of the main outlets for literature published by trade unions and the labour movement in general. Were very easy to find just a two minute walk from kings crossst. Celebrate the 5th birthday of the london bookshop crawl with a weekend exploring the bookshops of london.
These included, for example, firebomb attacks in 1973 and 1977 on two black bookshops in london, both called unity bookshop, and in 1994 an attack by fifty fascists on mushroom in nottingham. Housmans bookshop 5 caledonian road kings cross london n1 9dx uk tel. Like the literature it sells and the events it hosts, the store employs and attracts. Opened in 1945, housmans was born from the pacifist movement that flourished in the aftermath of the second world war. This esoteric epicentre has been going since 1922, when it was founded by michael houghton, a practising pagan, occultist and. Staff lis groenveld and nik gorelki the british book awards has published regional shortlists for the 2020. Many area book shops, music stores reopening wednesday. Housmans was founded in 1945 as a mail order book club for pacifists. Foyles st pancras international london shopping books st pancras international, pancras road, kings cross, london nw1 4 minutes from housmans bookshop the familyrun foyles book shop has been in the book selling business since 1906. The shop was originally founded in 1945, and is named for laurence housman, an english playwright and outspoken pacifist. Housmans is london s premier radical bookshop its one of the last remaining such shops, as well as having been one of the first originally opening in 1945. Bookmarks is now the only bookshop in central london that specialises in socialist material, and is one of the main outlets for literature published by. Your can choose to collect your order from us instore at housmans or have your purchases delivered to you from just 99p per item or free if the order is over.
In fact, in 2019, this need seems to be intensifying. The complete guide to londons best bookshops the city story. Londons 10 best zine and mini comic shops londonist. We stock the largest range of radical newsletters, newspapers and magazines of any shop in britain.
Islingtons housmans bookshop is one of four london store fighting it to be. Housmans bookshop, caledonian road, london shoppingbooks. The more recent attempted arson attack on freedom bookshop is likely also to have come from the right. Housmans bookshop, 5 caledonian road, london booksellers near kings cross st. Titles like peace, protest, pacifism, pacifist, environmentalism. Housmans bookshop, caledonian road, london shopping. Crowne plaza kings cross london hotels midrange chain hotel from. Housmans now vies with the anarchist freedom bookshop for the title of the countrys oldest radical bookshop and with liverpools news from nowhere for that of the biggest. We specialise in books, magazines, and periodicals of radical. Police investigate after housmans bookshop burgled the bookseller.
526 1237 720 395 580 1201 834 751 1112 1400 415 255 3 1517 1477 256 40 12 831 1182 1417 334 425 1102 714 1148 913 804 28 1483 1255 923 9